It is well known that if the foundation of a building is sound, the structure built upon it will be strong and long-lasting. Consider the great pyramids of Egypt. They have a deep and broad base and have lasted for thousands of years. We also know, from organic and biodynamic gardening, that if the soil is rich and well cared for, the root systems of the plants will be deep, strong, and vital, and the plant itself will be healthy and able to resist pests and disease. Natural medicine can produce a similar foundation. It aims at establishing a solid foundation of mental and physical health to prevent disease, resist infection, and to enable the organism to live for a long time.
To build an immune-enhancing lifestyle, it is best to start young and when you are not sick. However, the body is very resilient; it cooperates with the right cures and works toward healing itself. In fact, in some instances, it can spontaneously heal itself. Of course, if you are sick, you need appropriate and effective treatment, but the principles of health still apply. Mastering them is the first step toward viral immunity and healing.
In this chapter we look at the building blocks of health, how they influence immunity, and how they make an immune-enhancing lifestyle. Since the connection between mind, body, and immune system is so important for healthy immunity, we look closely at the science of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), the scientific discipline that attempts to understand the interactions between the immune system, the nervous system, and the psyche—the realm of mind, mood, and emotions, and the influences of the body and mind on viral immunity.
Your body-mind has an extraordinary power to defend itself against even the most virulent of viruses and to heal and regenerate even when disease occurs. Of course, to be realistic about viral disease, there is more to it than that, but an integrated body-mind has an exquisite sense of timing and expresses immunity exactly when you most need it.
Think of the immune system as an employee: If he arrives too early or too late, his unreliability disrupts the entire department. We do not want him working more than necessary, as a hyperactive immune system can lead to inflammation and autoimmune disease; nor do we want him to be lazy, as an under-functioning immune system lets in any virus that comes along.
Many complex processes regulate this body-mind connection, including brain function, the nervous system, the endocrine glands (those that secrete hormones), and the activity of the physical body. Both physical and psychological stress influence these processes and can disturb the immune system leaving us more vulnerable to viral diseases. Exercise, diet, nutritional supplements, stress reduction, and other factors improve these processes and promote a healthy immune system. For the present, let's look at each part of the body-mind unit, and review the science behind it.
The human body is a remarkable creation and it is often referred to as the temple of the soul. It contains almost every known chemical on Earth and has the ability to manufacture its own healing substances. Your body contains the most sophisticated pharmacy imaginable: it creates custom drugs to order and, given the right stimulus and chemical building blocks, it will manufacture the exact healing substance on demand. However, to support the healing process and to build a strong immune system, the body requires adequate exercise, rest, deep sleep, pure water, clean air, and proper nutrition. Often, you need dietary and nutritional supplements as well.
Exercise and Immunity: Most people do not exercise enough. The obvious consequences are lack of fitness and weight gain, but not getting enough exercise also impairs immunity. For example, the number of natural killer cells and their function is improved with exercise. Physical exercise also restores hormone balance, such as the levels of growth hormone and cortisol, which play a significant role in immunity.
The exercise effect is mediated by interactions between the somatic nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, and the endocrine system. Regular exercise coordinates these different systems in a manner that makes their response more organized, thus more effective, resulting in better immunity. The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movement of the muscles. The autonomic nervous system maintains homeostasis by regulating organ functions like heart rate and digestion without your awareness. There are two parts of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic part helps the body during crisis and stress while the parasympathetic helps to conserve energy and controls many specific functions in the body like slowing down heart rate.
There is no question that exercise improves health and natural immunity. What many people do not know is that overdoing it through intense, repetitive exercise does more harm than good. Excessive stress-producing exercise stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and decreases immunity. Too much exercise also increases oxidative damage to cells, causing tissue damage and accelerating aging. It also produces a higher risk of respiratory infections and can trigger latent viruses. A Danish study showed that intense exercise lowers levels of natural killer (NK) cells and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells (Peterson 2001). Research shows that the immune system is overwhelmed by the trauma of excessive exercise, so too much exercise can be as injurious to your health as too little.
One of my patients, a world-class female athlete, came to see me for recurrent injuries and debilitating fatigue. Despite her problems, Sarah continued to train because, like many athletes, she thought the answer to her condition was more training. She pushed herself beyond her body's limits. Eventually she sought medical help, and her doctors told her if she rested she would be fine, but by that time she had caused immune deficiency and even with more rest her condition did not improve.
During my first interview with Sarah, I found that her condition started with flu-like symptoms that occurred immediately after a competitive event (which she won); since then, her condition had cycled between periods of weakness and times when she felt better. During the good times, Sarah would train heavily and then suffer the consequences of more fatigue. My diagnosis, confirmed by specialized blood studies, was a chronic virus and immune deficiency caused by excessive physical training and the depletion of tissue and organ reserve of vital nutrients.
Sarah's treatments included diet, nutritional supplements, rest, and deep sleep to restore organ reserve, as well as antiviral herbs, acupuncture, and massage. Over time, she regained her health, though because of the damage caused by over-training while ill, she was not able to reenter the competitive world of professional athletics until several years later.
This case illustrates how excessive exercise, even by a professional athlete, seriously impairs immune function. The same consequences can happen to you, so be careful not to overexercise.
We know that lack of exercise leads to poor health and that too much exercise is bad for the immune system, so what is the best type and amount of exercise? Keep in mind that you should begin any exercise by gradually getting fit, to reduce injury, and then continue regular training to maintain that fitness. In this manner, you increase your exercise tolerance, retrain your neuromuscular system, and improve the coordination between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
Gradually, you adapt to higher levels of well-being. It is not wise to practice intense exercise when you're not fit or only once every week or so. The “weekend warrior” syndrome only leads to more fatigue and potential injuries, and it causes a cyclical pattern of avoidance of exercise alternated with infrequent bouts of too much exercise.
Besides improving immunity, regular exercise provides the following benefits:
In my clinical opinion, the best exercises ever designed for humans are those from the East: hatha yoga and tai chi. They are not just exercises, but complete systems of physical and mental health that train mind, body, and spirit. Hatha yoga is the master exercise system for the body and mind, while tai chi is the best exercise for the nervous system and mental-emotional state, and it also has profound positive effects on the body.
A number of research studies on hatha yoga (Bickel 2000) and tai chi (Husted 1999) testify in a scientific manner to the benefits of these systems.1 If qualified teachers for hatha yoga or tai chi are available in your area, I recommend that you try these exercises and experience the benefits. There are no age limits, but speak with the instructor before you begin if you are older or have an injury so they can safely guide you.
In my clinical opinion, the best exercises ever designed for humans are those from the East: hatha yoga and tai chi. They are not just exercises, but complete systems of physical and mental health that train mind, body, and spirit.
Second best, and perhaps more easily available for many Americans, is a combination or variety of exercises, often referred to as “cross training,” in which different parts of your body are worked out, not only one system or area; this form of exercise combines aerobic and light weight training. It improves fitness, increases muscle mass and strength, promotes weight loss, and improves immunity. Alternating swimming, bicycling, or walking (aerobic exercises), with isometrics and weight training (anaerobic), produces the best results and the least injuries. Don't forget to include stretching in your exercise plan to promote flexibility.
If you are not currently exercising regularly, first think about how much time each week you can devote to physical exercise and schedule it into your calendar. If you are unsure of how to start an exercise program, find a fitness instructor and work with her to design an exercise program that fits your needs. If you are not able to do any of the exercise forms mentioned in this chapter, start walking outdoors at least three times per week for a minimum of 20 minutes.
My recommendation is to vary your program to include 2–3 days of weight training, alternated with 2–3 days of aerobic activity each week. These should be your main exercises; allow 60–90 minutes for each workout. Include stretching and some isometric exercises with these as warm-ups and on off days perform a minimum of 20 minutes of isometrics and stretching at home. Take one or two rest days each week when you do not exercise. Research has shown that recuperation between exercising is as important to the immune system as the exercise.
The Anti-Stress Benefits of Rest: Rest counters the effects of stress and improves immunity. Herbert Benson, M.D., of the Mind / Body Medical Institute in Boston, and the author of The Relaxation Response (1975), has studied the effects of rest on the body since the 1970s. Benson found the body has a counterbalancing mechanism that neutralizes the negative effects of stress. The relaxation response decreases blood pressure, lowers heart rate, and relaxes muscle tension. When practiced regularly, your health and immune system improve.
Rest and repose are crucial aspects of your viral immunity plan. This includes, for example, adequate rest between repetitions of weightlifting or stretching, and during the day or evening (after dinner) when the body is allowed to unwind and recover. When possible, an afternoon siesta will help to calm your nerves and recharge your mind and body so you can finish your day in a better mood, with more energy for the evening with your family or friends. Rest also includes vacation time away from work schedules and routines; social time with friends, walks on the beach or in the woods, gardening, visits to art museums, or listening to music.
Judeo-Christian religions set aside one day each week—a Sabbath—for rest and worship. This is a custom that perhaps we should consider returning to. Meditation provides deep rest and is highly recommended for people suffering from stress, chronic disease, viral illness, or mood disorders. Therapeutic massage and acupuncture treatments, by promoting the release of relaxation-inducing chemicals called endorphins (substances that alter mood), induce deep rest and provide a sense of wellness.
In my clinical opinion, if you have a viral illness, regular rest periods during the day and at least one full day per week are necessary for the body to regenerate itself. Twice a day, take a 30–60-minute rest to reduce the effects of stress and improve your immunity.
How Sleep Helps Immunity: Sleep is not only important for feeling recharged in the morning, but it promotes proper body functioning, helps the organs regenerate, relaxes the mind, and restores the spirit. It enhances and regulates the immune system, aiding in the recovery from illness, including viral disease, and in the prevention of disease. Humans, like all animals, require a restorative cycle each day, and without adequate sleep you will find it difficult to recover from any illness.
Numerous scientific studies support the profound effect sleep has on our well-being. Disrupted sleep, an increasingly common condition among modern urban people, decreases the level of natural killer (NK) cells (Irwin 1996). Lack of sleep causes increased susceptibility to infections, such as colds and influenza. Stress, lack of rest between periods of work or activity, and disruption of the regular deep sleep cycle make us more vulnerable to infections. Long, sound sleep, even in the daytime, is one of the best remedies for the flu. J. Allan Hobson, a professor of sleep science at Harvard University, argues that the universal exhortation of mothers to their children to “get a good night's sleep,” may be one of the best natural remedies available to ward off infections (Hobson 1994).
The need for sleep in a healthy person ranges from 6–10 hours each night, the average being 8. However, when one is ill or the immune system is fighting off a virus, the requirement moves towards the higher end of the range. Get 9–10 hours of good sleep each night, and up to 12 hours if you have an active infection.
The Importance of Pure Water and Clean Air in Immune Health: Air and water are essential to life. Polluted air and contaminated water contribute to illness. The human body requires adequate hydration regularly throughout the day to function properly. The recommendation of six to eight, 8-ounce glasses of water each day is the standard rule; however, when you are ill, exercising vigorously, or exposed to higher temperatures, your need for water increases. Therefore, using eight glasses (64 fluid ounces) of water each day as a starting point, increase by two glasses for each additional hour of activity, and another one or two glasses if the weather is hot or you are exercising in a heated room. This can bring the total up to sixteen glasses (1 gallon) of pure water daily. While herbal teas, soups, juices, coffee, sodas, and the fluid contained in foods help to hydrate the tissues, they should not be considered as a replacement for pure water. Some beverages, like black tea and coffee, are diuretics and will cause your body to lose water.
If you have a viral illness, it is essential that you avoid tap water and use only purified water or spring water in glass or hard plastic bottles. Polystyrene, the soft plastic used in most commercial water bottling, contains hormone-disrupting substances like nonylphenol, a synthetic chemical that mimics estrogen, and the synthetic chemicals found in tap water do not promote healing, weaken your immunity, and can promote cancer.
Clean air is also important for healing. Avoid buildings that do not have windows that open to the outside air and that recirculate air. These places are traps for all types of allergens, especially molds and chemicals, as well as viruses.
Besides avoiding unhealthy indoor environments, you can enhance the air your take into your body with special exercises. The best forms were developed in the East and are called pranayama in the yogic traditions and qi gong in the Chinese traditions. If classes in these are not available in your area, you can practice deep breathing by inhaling and exhaling deeply in front of an open window (away from traffic and pollution, of course) or outdoors, preferably in the early morning and while standing next to green plants or trees. Stand straight and relaxed with your chest out and stomach in, and inhale, bringing your arms out to your sides at the same time. Hold for a second or two, and exhale deeply while bringing your arms towards your front and hands together. Repeat three times in sets of three, and breathe slowly and rhythmically.
In the early 1990s, I worked at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California, where I was a member of the system-wide advisory rehabilitation board, and taught stroke victims modifications of Eastern breathing exercises. All of the attendees reported improved stamina, a greater sense of well-being, increased mental clarity, and several dramatically improved their motor skills. Practicing regular breathing exercises can dramatically improve your health and appearance.
Proper Nourishment Promotes Immunity: Kenneth Bock, M.D., who practices natural immune-enhancing methods, says in his book The Road To Immunity, “The immune system is extremely sensitive to nutritional deficiencies and is more easily damaged by under-nutrition than any other system” (Bock 1997). Poor eating habits, under-nutrition of important immune-enhancing trace minerals, and eating refined carbohydrates (like white bread), sugar, and processed foods weaken immunity and inhibit healing.
To strengthen your immune system, eat healthy, natural foods. Eating a natural diet does not come easily; it requires a new understanding of how important foods are to your health and immunity. It is not the purpose of this book to go into diet in detail, only to point out the importance of a healthy diet and the different styles of good diets that promote a strong immune system. Now, let's look at some healthy diets.
Everyone wants to know what is the best diet. Honestly, it is not an easy question to answer. The flood of diet books on the market today is an indication of the diversity of ideas; rather than helping us, they often confuse the issue. We live in a global society powered by information, and we can get information on how other people eat, what their traditional diet is, and compare it to others and evaluate the health of the different groups. Researchers have found that some diets are healthier than others. As one sorts through all the information, we can see a common thread. In the following examples, we will look at several different diets to find what they have in common:
To complicate matters, even when we find the right diet, our vegetables are full of pesticides, our meats are loaded with hormones and antibiotics, our fish may have high levels of toxic mercury, our store bought fruits are often unripe. No wonder Americans continue to suffer from chronic disease and obesity, are prone to heart disease, and have dysfunctional immune systems.
There is a way around these concerns. Start with the basics: over-eating is not good for your health and predisposes you to all types of disease, including heart attacks. Not eating enough is also bad for your health, though short periods dedicated to fasting or cleansing are okay (see step 4). Extremes are not good—balance is better.
Every individual has different and specific nutritional needs. Eastern medical and philosophical systems, like Ayurveda, base dietary requirements on constitutional types. For the average person, unless you have expert guidance, it is difficult to formulate the exact diet for your type, or even to know your type. Let's review some general guide-lines, the common threads among the different health-oriented diets that I have found to work for most people, most of the time, and which are accepted by nutritionists and doctors as sound approaches to diet. Avoid any extreme diet unless you're under the guidance of a qualified medical or nutritional professional.
A healthy diet, one that empowers your immune system, is high in naturally occurring antioxidants, low in the “bad” fats (animal grease and margarines), and high in the “good” fats (vegetable oils, especially olive oil). It has adequate complete protein from fish, poultry, meats, eggs, and milk products, is low or absent in refined sugars, and has a reasonable amount of complex carbohydrates (whole wheat pasta, potatoes, dried legumes, and winter squash). If you have a chronic disease, viral illness, hormonal imbalances, or cancer, I recommend avoiding dairy products altogether. If you have allergies, avoid foods that you know cause allergies, and also avoid dairy products, eggs, and wheat, which are generally allergenic.
Further, have three regular meals each day, except when fasting or if you're on a hypoglycemic diet (which recommends four equal meals), composed of a variety of fresh vegetables, some meats, fish, and poultry, seasonal fresh ripe fruits, an assortment of seeds and nuts, and small amounts of spices and herbs. All foods should be fresh and organically raised whenever possible.
In my clinical practice, I use two dietary models that I modify for the individual patient. Both advocate the avoidance of refined sugars and the minimal intake of natural sugars from honey, fruit juices, and maple syrup. Both emphasize alkaline foods over acid-forming foods,2 and both call for adequate fluid intake. Acid-forming foods include sugar, meat, sour fruits like lemons and pineapple, and tomatoes. Alkaline foods include most vegetables and natural sweeteners like honey.
Another element of my recommended diet is food rotation: the same food should not be eaten more than two times per week, with at least three days between. Otherwise food intolerance or allergies may develop.
Food should be alive and full of energy. In the 1970s I learned much about natural diet from my mentors, notably the naturopath Dr. Bernard Jensen, who taught that food is our best medicine. One of his most important lessons was that when food is served it should retain its vital energy, or life force—called prana in yoga philosophy and qi by the Chinese.
To measure this, look at the color of food after cooking. If the food retains its natural color and the vegetables are bright and vibrant, vital energy is still present; if vitality is present, health will follow. The Chinese are experts at retaining the qi in foods, and only eat freshly picked vegetables. For them, even when fish is eaten, it must be alive and still flopping just before it is prepared for cooking. They also cook the whole fish—head and all! They believe this preserves the qi, which can then be absorbed when the fish is eaten.
The basic dietary program I recommend is suitable for most people. It contains moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates (primarily brown or basmati rice), adequate fats and proteins,3 and abundant fresh fruits and vegetables. The emphasis is always on vegetables. This diet comprises 50–55 percent complex carbohydrates; 15–20 percent high quality protein; and 20–25 percent healthy fats and oils.
The other diet I recommend is a low-carbohydrate diet, and for short periods of time (up to one month) I may advise a no carbohydrate diet. This type of diet is similar to that advocated by Barry Sears and is known as the 30-30-40 Zone diet (Sears 1995). This diet is essential for people who have trouble metabolizing carbohydrates, such as people with diabetes, hypoglycemia, or insulin-resistance or dysglycemia, a sub-clinical condition of disrupted blood-sugar metabolism that is called Syndrome X.
It also benefits people with yeast infections and is very useful for losing weight and gaining muscle. It is an important diet to use when recovering from all types of diseases. If a viral disease is present, the protein intake remains high but should be composed of mostly plant protein foods such as seeds, nuts, and legumes, with less protein from animal sources.
I rarely recommend complete vegetarian diets, though occasionally I will recommend them for short periods of time (up to three months) or for certain individuals who function better on a vegetarian diet.
In both diets, the food sources are critical: carbohydrates should be unrefined, high-fiber, with a low glycemic index;4 proteins should be principally from vegetable sources, such as seeds, nuts, and legumes, but organically raised lean meats and poultry, as well as fish and shellfish are allowed. Fats should be unsaturated oils, rich in omega-3 oils such as from flax seeds and fish. In both diets, I emphasize the importance of plenty of vegetables as a source of vitamins, minerals, and natural fiber. Along with meats, they are the most nutrient-dense of foods. Four to six servings of vegetables a day is a minimum, and they may be prepared as vegetable soups, salads, raw fresh juice, steamed, baked, or sautéed.
Dietary and Nutritional Supplements: Supplementation is an essential part of modern nutrition, and it becomes even more critical as people age and the immune system naturally declines. Adding vitamins and minerals to the diet is not a replacement for food, but is meant to be supplemental to a good diet. One mistake many of my patients make is taking too many supplements, often skipping meals in the process; this results in imbalanced nutrition and the wrong mixture of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Supplementation is essential to building a strong immune foundation by increasing the micronutrient saturation of the tissues. According to Robert Rountree, M.D., in Immunotics (2000), micronutrient starvation is: “the number one cause of poor immune function and, therefore, disease.” Micronutrients include trace minerals and vitamins that we need in small amounts, such as selenium and folic acid. A diet composed mainly of processed foods, low in fresh fruits and vegetables but high in calories, is deficient in these essential micronutrients.
Most Americans have access to lots of food, in fact, too much food of the wrong kinds. Fast-food restaurants are on nearly every corner and supermarkets are in every shopping center. However, the standard American diet (SAD) is actually deficient in many essential nutrients and is low in nutrient density. Our stressful modern lifestyle and its high exposure to toxic environmental pollutants and an ever increasing variety of microbial agents requires of us even more optimal nutrition, and that can only be obtained by supplementation.
My general recommendations for daily supplementation are:
Now that we have reviewed the body part of the body-mind unit, let's look at how the mind and emotions influence immunity and what we can do to improve the integration of body and mind and reduce the effects of stress.
Caution: When you have a viral illness, avoid taking multivitamin and mineral preparations that contain iron. Do not take a separate iron supplement unless recommended by a doctor knowledgeable in the treatment of viral diseases. During infection, the body withholds iron from the tissues because pathogenic microorganisms use iron to promote their spread. Sources of supplemental iron include: ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous asparatate, ferrous fumarate, and others.
The mind is an important part in healing and plays a significant role in immunity. The mind can be your best friend or worst enemy. It can distract you from following your purpose in life, lead you astray once you have become successful, and figure out where the closest convenience store is to buy cigarettes even when you have vowed to stop smoking. On the other hand, it can help you organize your life to work towards better health, help you find the right information to improve your understanding of health, and provide you with discrimination when the three doctors that you consult each have different opinions. For a cure to take place, your mind must become an ally in the healing process.
We have seen how stress can make you sick and how the body affects the immune system. Now we will discover how the mind communicates with the immune system.
How the Mind Talks to the Immune System: Actually, the communication is more of a dialogue between the nervous system (the brain), the endocrine system (the adrenal and other glands), chemical mediators (cytokines, chemokines, and neurotransmitters like serotonin), and cells of the immune system.
Stress, physical trauma, and infection activate a coordinated response between the innate immune system and the endocrine system. Chemicals released by these two systems activate the brain to send signals back to the immune system. The chemical messengers between the brain and immune system include cortisol (an adrenal hormone), and a variety of cytokines, primarily interleukin-1, inter-leukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor. In addition, nerve impulses between the brain and immune organs, like the spleen and the lymph nodes, signal changes in the activity and production of immune cells.
In chronic viral infection, a continuous exchange between these different systems occurs, resulting in an accumulation of cytokines and an imbalance of adrenal and other hormones. Normally, regulating mechanisms of the immune system prevent uncontrolled or continuous activation of these immune chemicals. However, when a breakdown of the normal communication between these systems takes place, changes in behavior occur, including fatigue, the feeling of sleepiness, loss of appetite, reduced interest in sex, and muscle and joint pain.
These are the same symptoms I described in chapter 5 about chronic fatigue and chronic inflammation. So you can see that a strong immune system depends on effective normal communications between the mind and the immune system, and integration of the body and mind. Otherwise, what we know as sickness behavior develops.
Most patients with the new disease (CFIDS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome) display this type of behavior. Often, patients may have a milder form of one of these conditions but still also have many of the symptoms of a dysfunctional nervous system and immune system. Doctors often refer to these patients as the “walking unwell” to describe a person who is functioning on a daily basis, but who feels sick most of the time. In the past, these people were called hypochondriacs. We now know that sickness behavior is triggered by both emotional and chemical changes in the body.
Unfortunately, if this type of patient does not get the medical care that addresses the cause of the problem rather than only its symptoms, she could eventually develop a combination of fatigue and chronic inflammation syndromes (like irritable bowel syndrome with fibromyalgia), or multiple sclerosis.
The proof that communication occurs between the mind and the immune system comes from the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI).
Hans Selye, M.D., a Canadian researcher, was the first Western scientist to take stress seriously. When he published the results of his work in the journal Nature in 1935, he was immediately criticized by his colleagues for suggesting that emotional stress affected the body's physiology. It was not until 1956, when he published The Stress of Life for the general public, that his ideas were accepted. Since then, thousands of research papers have been published on the effects of stress on the immune system.
PNI researchers have found that stress causes alterations in the way the secondary lymphoid tissues (spleen, lymph nodes, and mucosal tissue) function. It is thought that stress induces activity in the brain, which causes imbalances between the endocrine system and the lymphoid tissue, resulting in abnormal amounts and activity of the immune cells.
Within the brain, the hypothalamus is directly affected by stress. The hypothalamus is a small gland (situated in the center of the brain and above the brain stem) that is responsible for regulating blood pressure, body temperature, fluid balance, body weight, and many other functions directly related to homeostasis. Activation of the hypothalamus activates the autonomic nervous system, the same system we saw that was influenced by exercise and rest, and plays a role in immunity.
Mood and Emotion—Another Key Immune Factor: The ability to feel deeply and powerfully makes us human, and compassion and the ability to express impersonal love make us more than human—saintly. Albert Schweitzer and Mother Theresa were such people. A study with medical students at Harvard found that immunity was improved simply by watching a video of Mother Theresa. On the other hand, unbalanced emotions, lack of purpose, depression, apathy, harboring anger or guilt or shame, are negative emotions that destroy the immune system. Positive feelings and the belief in a higher power that knows what it is doing enhance our immunity.
Norman Cousins became famous for the “laughing cure.” Humor—not taking life or yourself too seriously—is very important in being able to enjoy life and let the small things roll off your back. Some people think the worst is happening even when their health condition is mild or easily curable. Fear takes over and makes them expect the worst, causing their emotions to spiral downward in anticipation of catastrophe. A black cloud hangs over their heads and follows them wherever they go. These patients need constant reassurance that the worst is not going to happen and that they have the ability to recover and lead normal lives.
In the early years of my practice, I treated a young, up-and-coming Broadway actress named Ellen who suffered from repeated respiratory viral infections. She was deathly afraid of ruining her career from her constant illnesses. She had one cold after another, with an average of two a month, and she had frequent bouts of sinusitis and bronchitis. When I first saw Ellen, she burst into tears in my office, emotionally overwhelmed by each illness episode and afraid of the next. I smiled and said, “You realize that these are only mild viral infections, symptoms of a poorly functioning immune system, and not serious illness. With some education about how your body works and some immune-enhancing nutrition you are going to be fine.”
She was incredulous for a moment. Then, Ellen started to present me with one reason after the other why she was always sick. I listened attentively but then politely told her that everything she described might be emotionally real, but she was concentrating all of her energy on the problem and not on a solution. She described in detail all of her medications, including the repeated courses of antibiotics, and all the doctors she had seen.
Again, I listened carefully, and then asked her if her mother was overly protective and if she catastrophized every minor illness into a medical emergency when Ellen was a child. Her eyes widened and she told me that her mother was exactly that way, that when she was a little girl, her mother turned every childhood sniffle into a potentially life-threatening situation. Within a few minutes, we had gotten to the root of her problem, cleared her mind of irrational memories, established a new positive emotional base, and started her on a regime of immune-enhancing natural medications.
I saw Ellen a few more times before she returned to New York. She had no more colds or flu. Several months later she called me and thanked me for restoring her health and her faith in the ability to be well. In Ellen's case, the immune-enhancing supplements helped to restore her natural immunity, but reducing stress and helping her restructure conditioned thinking and emotional patterns allowed her immune system to maintain a healthy status.
Physical diseases have specific symptoms and are easy to locate. We can point to the place where an injury occurred and see swelling and bruising, or we can say arthritis produces pain, swelling, and an enlarged joint. It is much more difficult to point to a specific symptom of immune dysfunction or to say that emotional stress is the cause. However, researchers are finding underlying connections between the body, mind, and immune system. Many anti-stress hormones, like DHEA and prolactin, and neurotransmitters like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin, enhance mood and improve immune function. For example, prolactin, the hormone that controls the secretion of milk production in the breast, produces a peaceful state of mind in nursing mothers. DHEA, an adrenal hormone, protects the hypothalamus from the negative effects of stress and elevates mood.
Though PNI is a relatively new field of scientific investigation, in Chinese medicine, emotional states have long been considered one of the three main causes of illness, the others being environmental factors and accidents. According to Chinese medical theory, harmonious emotional states promote health, strengthen immunity, and prevent disease, while imbalanced and excessive emotional states promote disease.
In Chinese medicine, emotional states have long been considered one of the three main causes of illness. According to Chinese medical theory, harmonious emotional states promote health, strengthen immunity, and prevent disease, while imbalanced and excessive emotional states promote disease.
In our world today we have less positive human contact than our forebears, though even something as simple as human touch can improve our mood and immune system. No wonder therapeutic massage and healing touch have become so popular. One study with nurses showed that therapeutic touch of the style first developed by Dolores Krieger, R.N. (1979), improves T-lymphocyte function (Olson 1997).
Having something to do, having a circle of supportive friends and family, or helping in the community takes our attention away from ourselves, improves mood, gives a sense of belonging, and improves immune function. A 1997 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that social ties reduce the susceptibility to the common cold (Cohen 1997).
We have seen how stress weakens immunity and how the mind and immune system talk to each other. Now we will look at some ways to help the body-mind connection function better. According to Leo Galland, M.D., “cognitive restructuring” is the psychological strategy used to gain perspective on our lives and the disease that has become a part of that life (Galland 1997). Cognitive changes begin with clearing unnecessary mental debris from the mind, keeping a firm faith in the healing potential, and having the willpower to do what is necessary to get well.
Right Thinking Fosters Healing: Willpower, a positive mental outlook, and mind control are essential in creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and in recovering from disease. Anxious behavior, negative thinking, and making wrong choices about your health based on culturally accepted but incorrect ideas destroy health and contribute to immune dysfunction. Irrational ways of thinking, fostered by wrong ideas about the limitations of medicine and how the body heals, can create monumental detours on your road to health.
In my clinical practice, most of my patients have chronic diseases and infections that have been difficult to diagnose by conventional methods, that were poorly treated with drugs, or that have already failed to respond to drug therapies. Sadly, many of these patients still believe in the magic bullet theory of medicine. They assume someone or some pill will miraculously cure their ailment, and they expect natural therapies to do the same job that the conventional model could not do, but even better, faster, less painfully, and cheaper. They put enormous, unrealistic expectations on themselves and their doctors. These patients need help in gaining a better understanding of their conditions.
To do this, I first assist them in accepting the diagnosis and then getting down to business of getting better, which often starts with cognitive restructuring.
For viral illnesses, sorting fact from fiction may be what separates you from wellness or disease. Here are a few of the medical myths that I have found to be the greatest obstacles in healing:
Noncognitive Ways of Improving the Body-Mind Connection: Many noncognitive methods activate the mind and improve the immune response. We have already seen how physical exercise and the relaxation response improve immunity. Now let's look at some less orthodox ways to enhance the immune system, such as healing rituals, prayer, mantras, and meditation.
Humans have used healing rituals since prehistoric times, so a positive response to rituals is embedded in our consciousness. Even today we continue to use rituals in political and military ceremonies, every Sunday when we go to church, and even in the doctor's office. The white coat worn by most physicians is more of a ritual garment than a necessity, establishing the wearer as a high priest of healing, as one separate and different from the patient who does not own such a vestment. However, in modern times this ritual often has the opposite effect.
In the so-called “white coat syndrome,” patients feel worse when they go to the doctor. Their blood pressure goes up; they become anxious and scared, anticipating the diagnosis or the toxic drug the doctor might prescribe. They may even feel humiliated or outraged at the impersonal and arrogant manner of many doctors. None of this helps immune function at all. Wiser doctors have realized this effect and no longer wear the white coat in their offices. In our emotionally stressed and fragmented society, we need more positive healing rituals that take us out of our everyday mindset and allow us to heal.
Another noncognitive way to enhance immunity is through prayer. Prayer is nothing new to the West. In the East, prayer is also used, but in the form of a mantra, or the repetition of one of the holy names of God, such as Rama or Krishna in Hinduism, or the Om Mani Padme Om chant of Buddhism. After decades of medical dogma that severed the mind from the body and the spirit from medical practice, prayer has recently become more available to patients.
Larry Dossey, M.D., the founder of the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Disease and the author of several books, is one of the strongest supporters of prayer as an integral part of healing (Dossey 1997). Dr. Dossey and other prominent medical figures, such as Roger Sperry, Ph.D., who won the Nobel prize in medicine in 1981, believe that mind and spirit must be returned to their rightful place at the top of the hierarchy of human endeavors, including medicine, and that prayer must be a part of the paradigm of mind-body therapies. Only in that way can healing be reintegrated into the practice of medicine.
Research has shown that intercessory prayer, done for you by another, influences the outcome of disease. In a 1988 study, under the direction of Randolph Byrd, M.D., 400 heart patients participated in a double-blind randomized controlled study in the Coronary Care Unit at San Francisco General Hospital in San Francisco, California. The patients who received prayer experienced better health and required less use of antibiotics (Byrd 1998). Another study reviewed twenty-three trials involving nearly 3,000 patients on distant healing as medical treatment and concluded that prayer helped in 57 percent of the cases (Austin 2000).
More research is required to scientifically prove the power of prayer in healing, but its potential immune benefits and long history among the world's religions recommend it. If you have an affinity to prayer, develop the habit of praying according to your chosen religious system or style. If you are more attuned to Eastern methods, practice a mantra. You may also intuitively find ways to enter into a dialogue with your soul, the universal spirit, or God in a way that suits your needs and personality. Regardless of what way you choose, allow time to regularly connect with spirit.
A well-balanced and regulated lifestyle promotes health and longevity, enhancing the immune system in the process. Yoga teaches it, tai chi and qi gong masters are examples of it in practice, and science is now getting around to confirming it. Radically restructuring the lifestyle is nearly impossible for the average American; however, even small changes will produce great benefits.
Will these changes make you immune to infections and “bullet-proof” to disease? Not completely. Life's design is an evolving matrix of constant change, and we still live in bodies that are vulnerable to unpredictable biological events; therefore, even the healthiest get sick from time to time. But you can increase the odds of being well and reduce your risks of illness by following the principles outlined in this chapter.
Keep in mind that results are achieved by a synthesis of all aspects, rather than through one isolated aspect, and remember that a health-oriented lifestyle is the beginning of a strong immune system.
Conditioning the Immune System: Just as stress reduction is a part of the body-mind paradigm and can be pivotal in enhancing the immune system, the body and the immune system also need challenges to thrive and evolve. Evolutionary immunologists have found that the immune system functions best when exposed to small amounts of infectious agents during childhood when adaptive immunity is forming. If you are never exposed to antigens, your immune system does not develop and you are more vulnerable to viruses, cancer formation, and allergic diseases like asthma.
The immune-enhancing lifestyle conditions the immune system, just as regular exercise conditions the muscles, making it stronger and more responsive. It is the foundation for all of the viral immunity treatments discussed in this book. For people who are already healthy, the immune-enhancing lifestyle may be enough. However, for those with weakened immunity or who already have a viral condition, it is just the beginning. In the next chapters, we will discuss the most important methods of conditioning and strengthening the immune system.